In Dallas, the Republican Party attempted something without modern precedent: constructing a midterm convention not around its candidates, but around a president whose name will not appear on any November ballot. With Donald Trump's approval rating at 33 percent and Democratic enthusiasm outpacing Republican energy, the gathering at the American Airlines Center became a study in the tension between mobilizing a loyal base and winning the persuadable center. History rarely rewards parties that mistake devotion for coalition, and Dallas offered no clear resolution to that ancient political dilem